Does soy protein supplementation affect body composition in healthy exerciser adults? A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials

Abstract

Background objectives: The effects of soy protein supplementation on anthropometric parameters and body composition indices of healthy adults is equivocal. The aims of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to assess the effects of soy protein supplementation on weight and body composition of healthy adults in clinical trial studies. Methods: A systematic search of literature was carried out on clinical trial studies in PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane's library and ISI Web of Science Direct up until November 2017. From 492 studies initially retrieved, only 8 articles with 6, 5 and 4 arms included in the meta-analysis of the effects of soy protein supplementation on body weight, Fat free mass and Fat mass, respectively, with 120 participants in the intervention group and 119 participants in the control group. Results: Results of the fixed effect model meta-analysis showed that soy protein supplementation had no significant effects on body weight (0.94 kg, 95 CI: �2.41, 4.30 kg; P = 0.58), fat-free mass (0.6 kg, 95 CI: �0.21, 1.41; P = 0.14) or fat mass (0.43 kg, 95 CI: �2.18, 3.03; P = 0.74) in healthy exercising adults. Conclusions: Results of this meta-analysis study does not confirm any significant beneficial effects of soy protein supplementation on weight and body composition in healthy adults. © 201